I touch my computer, sometime it zaps me, I touch my guitar (connected to a Zoom G2.1U powered by my computer’s USB bus) it zaps me… Why wont Taiwan ground anything? I touch the hot dog machine and the bao zhi machine at work, it zaps me (hard too). I touch the water heater and the microwave at work, it zaps me too! I saw this thing at B and Q that tests live and neutral so you can ground your appliance by hooking the ground to neutral, does it work like that?
Maybe it’s you. Trim the afro and ditch the bling bling.
Cha bu duo has been the mantra here for far too long, Not grounding in the majority of residental and commercial buildings is just good old fashioned laziness at its finest.
My sockets are a mess. Some glow when used. Some make everything live and give me shocks. One just came off in my hand the other week.
That’s how I’m gonna go if I don’t get run over by a taxi.
Start placing your ding-a-ling aginst these appliances and spruce up your life a bit!
I was initially suprised to have electricity passing through my body when touching appliances without footwear or bending on all fours to plug stuff in. I don’t even notice now when its shocks through the hands. Still get a bit pissed off if the shock comes through other more sensitive body parts when they form a circuit.
Locals must be used to it the same as they are used to sitting freezing in their houses in the winter.
Sitting freezing in winter and being shocked while eating oily salty food and listening to the karaoke next door is all part of the experience.
What does it do - test it or connect them? Anyway, the Taiwan electrical wiring code does NOT allow to directly connect Ground and Neutral.
That being said you get really zapped or you are just discharging static that builds up when you walk over carpet and so on? In this case you “unload” yourself when touching equipment that has a lower potential (typically when it is grounded).
You mean the difference between these;
A) Static; the quick and sharp pin prick style zap when you walk over carpet and shake hands.
B) AC voltage; Continuous surge of electricity when completing a circuit between say your hand on the computer box and bare feet on the floor and it stops when you remove your hand or the warden breaks the circuit.
Make that a B.
Funny… I’ve been around all sorts of electrical appliances in all sorts of buildings here for nearly eight years and haven’t been shocked once yet.
I don’t want to suggest anything but…
So, that’s why everyone in Taiwan wears red, green and blue plastic slippers … to insulate from being zapped … 
I’m zapped when I’m barefoot in the house, wearing decent slippers prevents you having contact with the floor (ground)
[quote=“belgian pie”]So, that’s why everyone in Taiwan wears red, green and blue plastic slippers … to insulate from being zapped …
I’m zapped when I’m barefoot in the house, wearing decent slippers prevents you having contact with the floor (ground)[/quote]
I realized why there are very few appliance in Taiwan that have metal case… most use white plastic case, because you dont need to ground plastic cases…
Appliances in continental Europe are not normally earthed, right (b/pie?).
I’ve never had a shock in all the years I’ve been here, just like whoever it was. Not even static (and in the UK I get static shocks all the time, from lift/elevator buttons, dept store doors, escalator rails which are supposed to be rubber, the bar of our pushchair/stroller…)
Yeah now that you mention it, smithsgj, I can’t recall ever getting a static shock here either whereas they are very common back home (humidity I suspect).
I’ve also never heard of any friends or acquaintances getting shocks of any kind here…
[quote=“Ironman”]I was initially suprised to have electricity passing through my body when touching appliances without footwear or bending on all fours to plug stuff in. I don’t even notice now when its shocks through the hands. Still get a bit pissed off if the shock comes through other more sensitive body parts when they form a circuit.
Locals must be used to it the same as they are used to sitting freezing in their houses in the winter.
Sitting freezing in winter and being shocked while eating oily salty food and listening to the karaoke next door is all part of the experience.[/quote]
i dont think they shock the taiwanese those ungrounded appliances !! 
It depends. Appliances with double-sealed / insulated power supplies don’t need to be earthed, like kid’s toys for example. Hifi-equipment , or your kitchen blender / mixer, are often not earthed either (they also employ power supplies that are sealed / safe). However appliances for wet rooms (like washing machine, dryer etc.) usually are earthed, as well as electric stoves and the like.
I used to get shocked all the time when the kiddies came down the plastic slides with their hair all sticking up. As a matter of fact, it became a game with my first class of post-toddlers five years ago. That’s the only shock I’ve ever suffered here aside from the occasional bouts of culture shock. And this with a blowdryer whose power switch burnt out three years ago, but is so damn good at doing its job that I can’t bear to throw it out.
[quote=“smithsgj”]Appliances in continental Europe are not normally earthed, right (b/pie?).
I’ve never had a shock in all the years I’ve been here, just like whoever it was. Not even static (and in the UK I get static shocks all the time, from lift/elevator buttons, dept store doors, escalator rails which are supposed to be rubber, the bar of our pushchair/stroller…)[/quote]
Every single one … not earthed, you can’t bring in the market, don’t get EC mark …
Every new build house needs to be earthed (Max 10 Ohm) or something for the earth pin or loope around the house. Gas pipe, water need to be earthed …
[quote=“belgian pie”][quote=“smithsgj”]Appliances in continental Europe are not normally earthed, right (b/pie?).
I’ve never had a shock in all the years I’ve been here, just like whoever it was. Not even static (and in the UK I get static shocks all the time, from lift/elevator buttons, dept store doors, escalator rails which are supposed to be rubber, the bar of our pushchair/stroller…)[/quote]
Every single one … not earthed, you can’t bring in the market, don’t get EC mark …
Every new build house needs to be earthed (Max 10 Ohm) or something for the earth pin or loope around the house. Gas pipe, water need to be earthed …[/quote]
Well I dunno. It seems like Rascal knows what he’s talking about above. Virtually all the plugs are 2 pin, just like here.
No, not true …
Disagree, there is lot’s of equipment on sale with the two-pin plug that carries the CE mark. Note #2. below:
[quote][…]
Basic Safety Concepts
Protection against electrical shock
Electrical safety is implemented using the concept of double safety layers:
- Isolation + Grounding
- Insulation + Extra Insulation (double or re-enforced insulation)
Any part at hazardous voltage should be separated from the operator by 2 layers of safety like specified under 1. or 2.
[…][/quote]
Source: cetest.nl/safety0.htm
I also checked the charger of my electric toothbrush (from Germany), it does have a 2-pin plug only and it carries the CE marking.